Combined blowpipe projector and mesh screen game board



s. SPAN ETAL 3,527,462

Filed March 25 1967 Sept. 8, 1970 COMBINED BLOWPIPE PROJECTOR AND MESH SCREEN GAME BOARD M N h EIT Sparrow 0nd Sparrow 0 V. v. .0 .....2.2222223.... 3.2.2.2222... 2.22. ........a... .vv .v......... 3.... V28 $3..vvvvvvvvw, 32. v

FIG!

ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent US. Cl. 273-95 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A game with a game board, the board being made of a mesh screen on which light-weight game pieces are placed, and a blowpipe with which puifs of air can be directed through the screen against the game pieces for moving them according to the rules of the game. The blow pipe is used by placing it under the screen and directing a putt of air at the overhead projectile to cause it to jump. The projectile or game piece may take the form of a ring that jumps onto a vertical rod or may take the form of a light ball that jumps over a wall. The blowpipe may have at one end a bulb and at the other end a ball shaped hollow section larger in diameter than the meshes of the screen to prevent it from being inserted therethrough.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to games, particularly to those in which a certain skill of the players is required.

Games are known in which light-weight game pieces, such as small balls or rings are moved around towards targets by little puffs of air, for example simulating a little basket ball game (U.S. Pats. 943,472 and 1,756;- 299) or the like games or for pitching little rings around spaced apart pin-like targets (US. Pat. 1,850,715). None of these games, however, embodies more than one mode of being played, and all of them rely upon a solid, fiat game board which has in some instances air passages arranged in fixed directions such as in the game board disclosed in US. Pat. 479,569. These structures obviously limit the use of the games. Furthermore, most of the known games of this kind can only be played by two players at a time. This invention provides an unobvious new toy game with a structure which opens a much Wider variety of possible uses and permits more than two players at a time to play together with it.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention consists in such novel features, construction arrangements, combinations of parts and improvements as may be shown and described in connection with the device herein disclosed by way of example only and illustrative of preferred embodiments. Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part hereafter and in part will be obvious herefrom or may be learned by practicing the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel, interesting game in which the board substantially consists of a mesh screen.

A further object of the present invention is to provide elongated, manually operated blowpipes by which air puffs can be applied to small, light-weight game pieces which may be placed on the screen, from underneath through the screen.

Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a game board over which small, light-weight game pieces may be moved by the application of air puffs from underneath indiscriminately in any direction.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive, yet highly entertaining and amusing new game which can be manufactured economically and easily.

The foregoing objects are attained by the provision of a game consisting of a game board which comprises a screen and a border wall around the screen, the screen being elevated providing a space therebelow; at least one substantially lightweight projectile positionable on the screen; and a manually operable blowpipe or blowtube at least a portion of which is positionable below the screen for directing puffs of air to the projectile through openings in the screen for raising the projectile from the screen and forwarding the projectile to other positions on the screen. As example, upon one of such positions may be located a target, the purpose being to direct the projectile into engagement with the target. Or, in lieu of the target, a body having compartments may be positioned on the screen and the projectile made to jump walls of the compartments and dodge therein.

Various further and more specific purposes, features and advantages will clearly appear from the detailed description given below taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which forms part of this specification and illustrates merely by way of examples embodiments of the device of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the following description and in the claims, parts will be identified by specific names for convenience, but such names are intended to be as generic in their application to similar parts as the art will permit. Like reference characters denote like parts in the several figures of the drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 shows in isometric view the frame board of a game according to the invention and illustrates one mode of operation thereof;

FIG. 2 shows the game board with an insert on the screen which forms the bottom of the board, illustrating another form of use of the game;

FIG. 3 shows a typical light-weight game piece which may be used on the game board;

FIG. 4 shows the movable counterpart for the game piece shown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 shows the blowpipe with which puffs of air may be applied through the screen bottom of the game board for moving game pieces such as shown in FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now in more detail to the drawing illustrating a preferred embodiment by which the invention may be realised, there is shown in FIG. 1 a game board generally indicated by the reference number 10.

Game board 10 may consist of a substantially rectangular frame 11 made of a suitable material forming a border wall, and of a wide mesh screen made of suitable material, such as metal, plastic, etc., 12 which is attached to frame 11 and forms the bottom of the board. Legs 13 are arranged on the corners of frame 11, supporting the board at a convenient vertical distance above a table (not shown in the drawing). Relatively small, light-weight game pieces such as, for example, a target 14 consisting of a foot piece or base 15 and of a pin 16 vertically arranged on foot piece 15 may be placed on screen 12, and at least one small, light-weight projectile, for example a ring 17 also may be placed on screen 12. Members 14 and 17 may be made of any suitable material, such as felt, sponge rubber, light-weight plastic, etc.

For playing of the game, an elongated blowpipe '18 is provided having a bulb or hollow ball 19, made of rubber or of any rubber-like synthetic material, on one end and a small relatively small hollow ball or other hollow substantially spherical body 20 on the other and thereof.

Ball '20 has a"relatively"sm'allhol'e"21,'which is prefer ably substantially perpendicular to pipe 18 or tube.

FIG. 2 shows an insert 22 consisting of a plurality of small rectangular compartments 23, and relatively small, light-weight projectiles in the form of balls 24, which may be air-lifted over the walls 23a of the compartments 23 from one of them to another by manipulation of blowpipe or blowtube 18 as described hereinbelow.

The operation of the toy game with respect to the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 may be described as follows:

A target 14 and at least one ring 17 are placed on screen 12. 3 I

Obviously, there can be as many rings 17 as there are players; in such case rings 17 may have different colors, a color for each player. Players now take turns blowing air puffs with blowpipe or blowtube 18 from underneath and through screen 12 at ring 17 (or rings 17, as the case may be), by manipulating or pressing bulb 19, as with the players hand 25, until one player succeeds in blowing ring 17 (or his ring marked with a color) over pin 16 of target 14. Obviously a wide variety of games can be played using basically screen board 12 and blowpipe 18. One of the many possible varieties is illustrated in FIG. 2. An insert 22 consisting susbtantially of a plurality of small rectangular compartments 23 is placed into frame 11 on screen 12, and small light-weight balls 24 are placed into compartments 23 for being air-borne and forwarded or raised over compartment walls 23a by air-puffs from blowpipe 18 variously positioned underneath screen 12. Little racing contests may be played in this manner or many other entertaining and amusing games. Of course the play-pieces 14 and 17 and compartments 23 may assume any desirable shapes. It is understood that the screen 12 may comprise a board or plate having a plurality of vertical holes or perforations formed therein and the game pieces and target may take any shape. The game may be played wherein a flat disk is aimed at a cup by the blowpipe, similar to the game known as tiddley winks. It is also understood that the blowpipe may take any desirable shape, such as a simple tube with a bulb at one end and the other end being bent approximately 90 from the body thereof.

While the invention has been described and illustrated with respect to a certain preferred example which gives satisfactory results, it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the principle of the invention, that various other changes and modifications may be made 'witho'utdepa'rtihg from the'spirit and'scope' of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A game comprising a game board having a mesh screen and a border wall around said screen, said screen being elevated providing a space therebelow, at least one substantially light-Weight projectile positionable on said screen, a manually operable blowpipe, at least a portion of which is positionable below said screen for directing intermittent air puffs to said projectile through openings in said screen for raising said projectile from said screen and forwarding said projectile to other positions on said screen, at least one target means positionable on said screen at one of s'aid other positions whereby said projectile may be made to engage said target, said blowpipe comprising an elongated tube having a bulb at one end engageable by an operator and a hollow member at substantially the other end thereof, said hollow member having a hole through which said puffs of air may be emitted by pressing said bulb, said hollow member at said end of said tube having the shape of a ball of a substantially large diameter for preventing said hollow member from being pushed through the meshes of said screen.

2. A game according to claim 1, and a body having compartments positionable on said screen.

3. A game according to claim 1, and said blowpipe comprising an elongated substantially stiff tube having one end bent at substantially and a substantially elastic bulb at the other end thereof engageable by an operator.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Goldstein 273- ANTON O. OECHSLE,'Primary Examiner T. ZACK, Assistant Examiner US. 01. 'X.R. 273-400 

